The publicity department for the Grand Circuit has sent out its weekly story recapping and previewing Grand Circuit races.
This Week: Delvin Miller Adios final, Adioo Volo and Arden Downs, the Meadows, Washington, Pa.; Hambletonian Oaks, Peter Haughton Memorial and Jim Doherty Memorial eliminations and TVG Opens, Meadowlands Racetrack, East Rutherford, N.J.; and Hanover Stakes, Balmoral Park, Crete, Ill.
Schedule of events: Grand Circuit actions kicks off this Friday (July 31) at the Meadows with three divisions in the $60,000 Arden Downs for two-year-old colt trotters and three divisions in the $60,000 Arden Downs for two-year-old filly trotters. The Saturday (August 1) card at the Meadows features the $400,000 Delvin Miller Adios final and $50,000 Adios consolation for three-year-old colt pacers, two divisions in the $125,000 Adioo Volo for three-year-old filly pacers, four divisions in the $80,000 Arden Downs for two-year-old filly pacers, three divisions in the $71,170 Arden Downs for two-year-old colt pacers, two divisions in the $65,142 Arden Downs for three-year-old colt trotters and a single $65,000 division in the Arden Downs for three-year-old filly trotters.
Meadowlands Racetrack will offer three sets of elimination races this week, with all the finals slated for the Hambletonian card of Saturday (August 8). On Friday, the Meadowlands will host three $20,000 eliminations in the Jim Doherty Memorial for two-year-old filly trotters and a pair of $20,000 eliminations in the Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old colt trotters. On Saturday, the Big M program will feature two $35,000 eliminations in the Hambletonian Oaks for three-year-old filly trotters. The Meadowlands will also offer $50,000 TVG Open races for both older pacers and trotters.
Also on Saturday, Balmoral Park will contest Hanover Colt Stakes for two-year-old male trotters and pacers, along with Hanover Filly Stakes for freshman female trotters and pacers.
Last time: When Yannick Gingras makes an appearance at Vernon Downs, he has a strong tendency to be mightily successful on the racetrack. Such was the case this past Sunday afternoon (July 26), when he swept the filly and colt divisions of the Harry M. Zweig Memorial stakes.
Pinkman and Gingras found room up the inside to strike late from a pocket trip in the $370,000 Zweig event for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Beginning from Post 7 as part of a four-horse Jimmy Takter-trained entry, Pinkman left strongly, stringing out Habitat (driven by Brian Sears) in the early going before yielding to stablemate Canepa Hanover (Takter) after a :27.3 initial quarter. The gelded son of Explosive Matter and Margie Seelster drafted comfortably behind his stablemate through a :56.1 middle half, but was boxed at the apex of the far turn when Habitat attempted a first-over bid.
With racing room at a premium in upper stretch, Pinkman found room up the inside, passing Canepa Hanover in the final sixteenth of the mile. He prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 1:52, a stakes record. Canepa Hanover held second, while Workout Wonder (Daniel Dubé) rallied late to take third past Wings Of Royalty (Tim Tetrick).
Pinkman stretched his career bankroll to $1,187,925 for Christina Takter, John Fielding, Jim Fielding, Joyce McClelland, and Herb Liverman.
In the $185,000 Zweig for three-year-old trotting fillies, Gingras settled Mission Brief into the third spot out of her mid-pack post, tracking Wild Honey (John Campbell) and Magic Marker (Brian Sears) through a :27 initial quarter before brushing to the fore at the race's midpoint. Just as Wild Honey slackened through a :56.1 half-mile, Mission Brief charged past, opening up her lead to two lengths on the far turn.
The daughter of Muscle Hill and Southwind Serena would hold that margin through a :55.3 final half, defeating Wild Honey in 1:51.4. Magic Marker stayed on to be third, while Gatka Hanover (Brett Miller) rallied mildly off cover to take fourth.
Ron Burke trains Mission Brief for the Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables, the J&T Silva Stables, and Weaver Bruscemi. Now a 12-time winner, Mission Brief has amassed $791,417 in career earnings.
P H Supercam overcame a first-over journey to score in the seventh annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace at Saratoga Casino and Raceway on Saturday (July 25).
The Jeff Bamond Jr. trainee drew Post 4 and after leaving to get away third, came first-over on the race’s favourite, Dancin Yankee (Jim Morrill Jr.), in the $260,000 free-for-all pace. Dancin Yankee, the Saratoga track record holder after winning the 2014 Gerrity in 1:48.4, returned to town to defend his title and came up just a neck shy of repeating.
Jason Bartlett piloted P H Supercam, who wore down Dancin Yankee in the final strides to secure the win in 1:50.1, easily the fastest mile of the ‘15 campaign at the Spa. Dancin Yankee had to settle for second while longshot Domethatagain (Billy Dobson) came on to finish third.
The victory was the eighth in 17 seasonal tries for millionaire pacer P H Supercam, who is owned by his trainer.
Grand Circuit Standings: In 2015, the Grand Circuit leaders in three categories (driver, trainer and owner) will once again be tracked on a points system (20-10-5 for the top three finishers in divisions/finals and 10-5-2 for the top three finishers in eliminations/legs). Winbak Farm is the sponsor for the 2015 Grand Circuit awards.
Here are the leaders following the past week’s action:
Drivers: 1. Yannick Gingras – 333; 2. Tim Tetrick – 313; 3. Brian Sears – 275; 4. David Miller – 259; 5. John Campbell – 218.
Trainers: 1. Ron Burke – 430; 2. Jimmy Takter – 282; 3. Jeff Bamond Jr. – 248; 4. Ray Schnittker – 187; 5. Rene Allard – 163.
Owners: 1. Bamond Racing – 195.5; 2. Burke Racing – 107.5; 3. George Teague Jr. Inc. – 100; 4. Weaver Bruscemi – 99.3; 5. Ray Schnittker – 74.9.
Looking ahead: Grand Circuit action will be taking place next weekend at Meadowlands Racetrack and Tioga Downs. Meadowlands Racetrack will host ten Grand Circuit events, led by the $1 million Hambletonian, the first leg of Trotting’s Triple Crown for three-year-olds. Tioga Downs will race Tompkins-Geers stakes for two and three-year-old colt and filly pacers.
(Grand Circuit)